Ottoman Pouffe Stool Crimson Beige Fortuny Damask Wendy Vanderbuilt Lehman

This beautiful, large, ottoman is extremely versatile as it comprises four individual sections which can be used as independent two-seat ottomans/pouffes/stools which fit together to form a large circular ottoman or pouffe or sofa table to support a large tray. It is upholstered in a crimson and warm beige Fortuny wisteria motif damask pattern taken from a 17th century design printed at the Fortuny factory in Venice. The beauty of Fortuny is that no two runnings are ever the same. Each is a unique piece of art in its own right, with variations in color and texture. The ottoman is trimmed with braid and a deep bullion fringe. It is inspired by a Victorian design. Provenance : the Estate of Wendy Vanderbilt Lehman. A New York artist whose work resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, she was known for her love of modernism and greatly inspired by her mentors Georgia O'Keefe and O'Keefe's sister, Anita Young. Wendy's artistic expression spanned several mediums. Her work included extraordinary sculptures in wood and aluminum as well evocative paintings in acrylic and watercolor. In 2008, she was selected to be a part of The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States, which resulted in the placement of her work in museums across the country. Wendy was also blessed with a wry sense of humor and there were few things Wendy appreciated more than spending time with her numerous and multifarious friends. Wendy was born in California to Manuela Hudson and Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt II, a Pioneer in thoroughbred racing, whose father had gone down on the Lusitania. She grew up between Palm Beach and Manhattan. Wendy was a model and featured in one of Lilly Pulitzer's first advertising campaigns and attended the Truman Capote Black and White Ball in 1966. She married Orin Lehman, the civic leader, theatrical producer and broadcasting executive uniting two of America's leading families, the bride a descendant of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and the bridegroom is a great-grandson of Mayer Lehman who established the investment and commercial banking house of Lehman Brothers. In addition to her work as an artist, Wendy was a founding member of STOP: Stop Traffic Offenses Program, was a board member of the board of the Americans for Children's Relief and spent countless hours working on benefits for institutions like the New York Studio.